2025 Rising Stars in the AEC Industry: Stephen Nickolas Parker 

Architect, Mental+Behavioral Health Planner 

Stantec Architecture 

Arlington, VA 

Bio: Stephen Parker is an architect and dedicated mental health planner whose work redefines therapeutic environments globally. Stephen co-leads Mental & Behavioral Health projects globally at Stantec, designing thousands of mental health beds in recent years and co-developed national standards for the VA. A champion of advocacy through design, Stephen’s leadership spans research, education, and public service, blending empathy, innovation, and design excellence. His projects—from the Arctic to Australasia—reflect a lifelong commitment to creating spaces that foster healing, dignity, and community impact. 

Projects & Accomplishments: Mental Health Planner for the Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital, Canada’s largest hospital (2.8M SF) with five med-psych units; Behavioral Health Planner for Cleveland Clinic’s new 1M SF Neurological Institute; Behavioral Health Planner for a the new 600,000 SF Southeast Psychiatric Treatment Center with over 420 inpatient beds; Co-developed the Stantec ZenDen, a pop-up sensory-enabled architecture (SEA) and research platform; Lead the development of national behavioral crisis design standards. 

Professional & Community Involvement: Associate for the Design in Mental Health Network (UK); Founding Member of the Center for Health Design’s Behavioral & Mental Health Environment Network; Urban Land Institute’s Health Leaders Network, NextCity Vanguard, Past Design Chair for DC Building Industry Association’s Community Improvement Day; Member of the International Union of Architects Public Health Group, Young Leaders Corps.